Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-05-24

I
light. which never shone on sea or
land.
| "a young man cannot love you as
| I do" he said, with gasp, Tor the
| blow was hard. .'He loves himself
best. YOU will see. He is an ill-regulat-
ed fellow. You can't count on him.
He's not reliable.
IL love his imperfections," said
Rosalia. q light coming into her eyes
and trs rsforning her face INTO perfect
beauty.
Sheldon was turning away with
curse, but his heart was sore. He
could not give up all hope.
~ want to be your friend" he said,
with an effort. "If / can ever help
you, come to me-"
Rosala looked relieved. She was
too tendcr-hearted to wish to
hurt any living thing. She reached
out her delicate white hand.
"How thin your hand is" he said,
looking at the fragile thing that lay like
roseleaf in his stubby palm. '"This
life is killing you. Let me at least
help you to give it up"
ooh, how could that be done?" said
Rosalia, with nervous laugh. Vance
Sheldon went out crashing his teeth.
Course the feIowp' he said. "Iwish
I could grind him to powder. don't
give her up yet. will hinder that
promotion ii cam
At that very moment the fortunate
lover was cursine his luck, and pacing
the street III q reckless way-seeing
nothing, hearing nothing, OF his sur
roundings. The world had grown diff
ferent to him, Tor he was standing face
to face with death--death or disgrace.
He had been forced by his own reck-
less folly into n corner where he must
choose between the two. And life was
sweet to him because of his love, and
disgrace was all the more unbearable
because OF her.
He had no excuse for his folly. He
had borrowed sum from the bank,
relying on an expected payment from
q friend. The friend suddenly died in
solvent. Vance had sqnandered the
banks money, partly ut the gaining
table. 1t must be replaced, Or
He turned suddenly. He would tell
Rose all. How unworthy, how ignoble
he wasl At his best he had never de-
served her, and now Her love
should have lifted him out Of his fol-
lies--should have sufiiced for him. He
seemed to see all the sweet posslbili-
ties of his life rising before him. He
caught his breath with gasp-it was
too late, too latel
A drear London mist was rising. He
was rather glad to have the people
blotted out, and the houses. He long
cd to be alone somewhere any where
yet he sbuddered Mt the awful lone
illness OF DEATH.
"But it would be easier to leave a
world wrapt up in fog" hesaid. than
IL land OF sunshine and flowers. IL
there's anything that can make n man
feel like suicide it is n London fog"
Rosalia was waiting for him. She
was not to sing this evening, and she
paced the room impatiently, with
some feeling of unrest she could not
explain. Ter cheeks were scarlet, her
eyes shone like stars. OF late she had
lost her pallor in the evening. Roses
bloomed on the delicate cheeks
such roses as would have made her
mothers heart ache if she had lived
to see them. "Such brightness dying
seems diffuse."
Vance was not wise enough to UNI
derstand. He only saw that she was
growing more beautiful. When he
looked into her eyes he tried to mask
his own misery, but she read some
terrible secret in his face.
"Tel me-" she faltered. "Tcan bear
anything ii you will only be frank. Is
it that you have ased to love me?
have been much afraid OF that.
Nothing else can hurt me-"
mo, no! God knows never loved
you bettern' cried Vance. bitterly.
"Tbere! am answered." cried
Rose, in eestacy, 'No matter about
the rest"
| Vance caught the slinht form in his
arms. and crushed her to his breast,
"My darling" he cried, az have been
madl see 1t now darling. Why did
| We ever meetY'
! because we were meant for one an
other" whispered Rose, family smil-
ing.
LET me tell you, must" said the
young man, in sudden anguish. 81
will tell you all the truth"
He poured out his story with fever.
ish haste.
'Therel" he gasped as he finished
"What is left for me?"
II am left, Vance," she said, nest.
ling up TO him.
"You see. can't say, All is lost
save honor' cried Vance. "Honor
is lost first of ALL"
"tIow much time is there before
'she faltered, paling visibly.
Before discovery and the trial and
the prison? Bah! do. you think
would face thatY'
"Oh! what do you mean?" she cried,
clinging to him in terror. But know
Il knowl Oh, promise me, Vance
you will not. You will wait--wait
two days. might think-of a way
"Child. what could you do? Have
you boarded up five thousand dol
lars?" cried Vance, mockingly.
mo; do not Jest, but promise me-
He saw her face 10 CHASTITY in its
terror. that he did his best to dispe
the phantom he had raised.
She only halt believed him. Wher
he lett her she could not rest 1t wa,
10 o. clock. and the night was drearN
one The fog had turned to a dreary
drizzle, and the pavements looked
Shiny and forbidding i'll the pale glim
mer of the streetlamps.
Rose shuddered as she looked out
A child OF the sun, she shrank from
; the cold and the Jog and storm, bu